Bottle duster with belt brushes

Abstract

A cleaner for removing particulate matter on bottles moving on a conveyor line. As the bottles move along the conveyor, they contact brushes in the form of continuous, endless belts. The belt has motion relative to the bottles which it contacts. Preferably, the belt moves in the same direction, but faster than, the bottles. On the other side of the bottles, a screw auger having spaces large enough for the bottles to fit in may assure the correct motion of the bottles. Alternately, a brush also in contact with the bottles and on the other side of the belt brush may also help assure the proper cleaning of the bottles. The second brush may take the form of a rotating cylinder, a rotating auger formed of brush bristles, or even a second endless, continuous belt brush.

Accordingly, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a machine for cleaning bottles moving on a conveyor having a longitudinal axis, said machine including: (1) a frame;   (2) rubbing means, coupled to said frame, for rubbing the surface of said bottles; and   (3) motive means, coupled to said rubbing means and to said frame, for imparting to said rubbing means motion relative to said bottles, the improvement:   (A) wherein said rubbing means comprises an endless, continuous belt having a substantially elongated length in a particular direction while out of contact with said bottles;   (B) wherein said motive means moves said belt, while in contact with said bottles, in a direction substantially parallel to said axis;   (C) further comprising cleaning means, coupled to said frame in the vicinity of said belt, for removing particulate matter from said belt, said cleaning means having a location remote from said bottles and extending over a substantial length in said particular direction for a prolonged period of cleaning of each portion of said belt while out of contact with said bottles.     
     
     
       2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said belt includes brush bristles on the surface in contact with said bottles. 
     
     
       3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein that portion of said belt in contact with said bottles is in the form substantially of a plane. 
     
     
       4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said longitudinal axis and the direction of motion and the height of said bottles all lie substantially parallel to said plane. 
     
     
       5. The improvement of claim 4 where the direction of motion of said belt is substantially parallel to the motion of said bottles on said conveyor. 
     
     
       6. The improvement of claim 5 further including ionizing means, coupled to said frame, for directing a stream of ionized air on said bottles. 
     
     
       7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said cleaning means includes vacuum means, coupled to said frame, for removing air in the vicinity of said brush bristles. 
     
     
       8. The improvement of claim 4 further including controlling means, coupled to said frame, for controlling at least in part the motion of said bottles on said conveyor, said controlling means including (a) surface means, coupled to said conveyor and located on the opposite side from said belt, for contacting said bottles and (b) motion means, coupled to said frame and said surface means, for imparting motion to said surface means relative to said frame. 
     
     
       9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein: (1) said surface means includes a brush in the form of a cylinder located on the opposite side of said bottles from said belt and having an axis of rotation; and   (2) said motion means includes rotational means, coupled to said brush, for rotating said brush about its axis.   
     
     
       10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said axis of rotation is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       11. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said motive means moves said belt in the direction said conveyor moves and at a speed higher than that at which said conveyor moves. 
     
     
       12. A device for controlling the motion of bottles in a longitudinal direction comprising: (A) a frame;   (B) an endless, continuous belt, coupled to said frame, for contacting the surface of said bottles;   (C) motive means, coupled to said belt and to said frame, for imparting to said belt, while said belt is in contact with said bottles, motion relative to said bottles and to said frame in a direction substantially parallel to said direction; and   (D) controlling means, coupled to said frame, for moving said bottles in said longitudinal direction, supporting said bottles while moving in said direction, and controlling at least in part the motion of said bottles, said controlling means including (a) surface means, coupled to said frame and located on the opposite side of said bottles from said belt, for contacting said bottles and (b) motion means, coupled to said frame and said surface means, for imparting motion to said surface means relative to said frame.   
     
     
       13. The device of claim 12 wherein: (1) said surface means includes a brush in the form of a cylinder located on the opposite side of said bottles from said belt and having an axis of rotation; and   (2) said motion means includes rotational means, coupled to said brush, for rotating said brush about its axis.   
     
     
       14. The device of claim 13 wherein said belt includes brush bristles on the surface in contact with said bottles. 
     
     
       15. The device of claim 14 wherein that portion of said belt in contact with said bottles is in the form substantially of a plane. 
     
     
       16. The device of claim 15 wherein said direction of motion and the height of said bottles all lie substantially parallel to said plane. 
     
     
       17. The device of claim 16 wherein said direction of motion of said belt is substantially parallel to the motion of said bottles. 
     
     
       18. The device of claim 12 wherein said motive means moves said belt at a speed higher than that at which said conveyor moves. 
     
     
       19. In a machine for cleaning bottles moving on a conveyor having a longitudinal axis, said machine including: (1) a frame;   (2) rubbing means, coupled to said frame, for rubbing the surface of said bottles; and   (3) motive means, coupled to said rubbing means and to said frame, for imparting to said rubbing means motion relative to said bottles, (A) wherein said rubbing means comprises an endless, continuous belt having brush bristles on the surface in contact with said bottles, that portion of said belt in contact with said bottles being in the form substantially of a plane;   (B) wherein said motive means moves said belt, while in contact with said bottles, in a direction substantially parallel to said axis;   (C) further comprising cleaning means, coupled to said frame in the vicinity of said belt, for removing particulate matter from said belt;   (D) further comprising a brush in the form of a cylinder located on the opposite side of said bottles from said belt and having an axis of rotation and rotational means, coupled to said brush, for rotating said brush about its axis.     
     
     
       20. The improvement of claim 20 wherein said longitudinal axis and the direction of motion and the height of said bottles all lie substantially parallel to said plane. 
     
     
       21. The improvement of claim 20 wherein the direction of said belt is substantially parallel to the motion of said bottles on said conveyor. 
     
     
       22. The improvement of claim 21 further including ionizing means, coupled to said frame, for directing a stream of ionized air on said bottles. 
     
     
       23. The improvement of claim 22 further including vacuum means, coupled to said frame, for removing air in the vicinity of said brush bristles.